Piping Her Tune Read online

  Abby watched the car disappear down the road. The Frenchwoman’s lips had been soft like silk on her skin, and she had really enjoyed her company. But questions spun through her mind that she couldn’t ignore. Shouldn’t she have felt something a little more, for why did her body tingle when all Victoria did was whisper in her ear as they were leaving? Despondent, Abby went inside.

  Sleep took a long time coming. She lay staring at a black moth pressed up against the windowpane, silhouetted starkly in the glow from the streetlight outside.

  Chapter Five

  “Have you gone stark raving mad?” The chairman flashed a dark frown; his anger formed a palpable barrier between them. “Why Abby Benton?”

  Victoria’s gaze was hard, her answer was uncompromising. “She’s the one I want. You said it was entirely my decision.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Vic. Don’t be so stupid. You’ll kill each other in a week.”

  “She’ll have to toe the line. I’ll be her employer and she will do what I say.”

  Malcolm ran his hand through his hair. “Is that was this is all about? A power thing with you? Grow up, my girl.”

  After a deep breath as if she tasted the air, Victoria leaned closer over the desk and lowered her voice. “Don’t you dare patronize me. I want her with me because she’s the only one who won’t bore me to tears.”

  “Rubbish! Karen and Emily are bright, intelligent women.”

  “Emily is a marine biologist who’s just completed a study to help save coral growth on the reef. Where do you think we stand on that, pray tell? We ship coal out through the reef if you haven’t forgotten. I’m not spending months with an environmentalist who despises what I do.”

  “What about Karen? She’s a computer expert, which will be a definite asset. Instead of the data having to be sent back, she can record and analyse it onsite. It’ll save weeks of work here.”

  Victoria’s face set in a stubborn mask. “She’s too serious. No sense of humour.”

  The chairman opened his eyes wide in disbelief. “When have you been a laugh-a-minute? I spoke at length to the woman and found her quite charming.”

  No reply; he threw up his hands in defeat. “All right, have Abby. That is if she’ll go, which I doubt.”

  “She’ll accept. She won’t be able to refuse. I’ll throw in another one hundred thousand of my own money.” Her eyes took on a glint. “Make sure you tell her it’ll be tax-free.”

  “I’ll email her on Sunday,” said Malcolm suddenly looking weary. “That’ll give you twenty-four hours to reconsider your decision. But remember this, Vic. For all your excuses, I’m not stupid. The personal vendetta had better be worth it, so don’t come whining back to me if she makes your life hell. You’ll have to live by your decision, so make the partnership work. Now I’d better break the news to Fiona. She’s not going to be happy.”

  Victoria leaned back in her chair, satisfied. It was going to be fun having Abby at her beck and call. She’s going to have to do exactly what she’s told, like it or not. No special effort had been required to find out her financial status. Abby couldn’t afford to pass up the offer, especially since she battled to support her mother’s household as well as her own. She barely had her head above water.

  But a niggling thought persisted. Abby had gone home with Chantal. The Frenchwoman might persuade her to stay. Desire was a powerful emotion and they may already have formed an attachment. Maybe it was Abby that Chantal had referred to as interesting. She wondered why that last thought twisted her mind into panic.

  * * *

  Abby read the email, at first flabbergasted, and then angry. How dare the damn woman assume she could be bought? All day she stewed as she focused on every undesirable trait in the mining magnate. By six p.m., she had worked herself up into such a state she could no longer focus on something as mundane as preparing the evening meal. She burnt the carrots and overcooked the steak. Not that she could eat anyhow—each mouthful seemed to swell up in her mouth, making swallowing impossible. Abby was tempted to ring her mother but resisted. It would only worry her mum, who already disliked Victoria enough as it was.

  When eight o’clock arrived, Abby knew she was beaten. With all her financial commitments, it was impossible to pass up the position. But stuff her, she was going down fighting. By her calculations, to pay off some of the mortgage on her house and her mother’s six months of living expenses added up to one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. Victoria would have to cough up more cash if she wanted her. No way would she budge on that.

  Abby sat down at the computer and composed the email.

  Dear Mr Hardy,

  Thank you for your kind offer. I will be happy to accept the position as Ms Meyers’ platonic partner. However, on calculating my mortgage residual and my mother’s living expenses while I will be away, I estimate the sum comes to $125,000. Could you please inform the CEO her contribution must rise by the amount of $25,000. (I presume she will be supplying the tax-free monies. Please correct me if I’m wrong.) If she is agreeable, I would expect her contribution be paid up front as a gesture of goodwill.

  Yours sincerely,

  Abby Benton

  Satisfied, she hit the Send button.

  * * *

  At home, Malcolm sat down heavily on the sofa after pouring himself a large slug of scotch. Too early in the day he knew, but his nerves were completely shot by the confrontation with Victoria. The way she acted was distinctly out of character; she was usually so levelheaded to the point of being stodgy. He’d never seen her so consumed, so off-kilter. Jan entered and noticed the drink. She raised her eyebrows, “Bad day, dear? Want to talk about it?”

  Malcolm shook his head. Vic might change her mind by tomorrow and if she did, he didn’t want to break her confidence. He waited the rest of the day on tenterhooks, but finally realized by nightfall that she wasn’t going to budge. With reluctance, he sent off the email on Sunday morning.

  Every hour he checked for a reply, relieved there was no answer from Abby. Thankfully, the woman wasn’t interested. Vic would have to come to her senses and choose a more appropriate partner. Before retiring to bed, Malcolm had one last look. His incoming mail flashed one from the artist. He shuddered. After he read the reply he shook his head in disbelief and called out plaintively, and in some desperation, to his wife. “Have a look at this, will you?”

  Jan chuckled with amusement. “So, she chose Abby. Of course, that explains why I couldn’t read Vic. I was looking in the wrong direction. Isn’t it delightful?”

  “Delightful? Have you gone completely mad?”

  “Oh, Malcolm, you are obtuse. It’s a courtship between two tigers, although they both aren’t aware of it yet. Abby raked Vic with her claws at the dinner party, so Vic’s taken her by the tail and the girl’s snapping back.”

  “But they dislike each other.”

  “Of course they don’t.”

  “Then why doesn’t Vic date her and give her flowers and chocolates like every other bastard in the country?” he asked, annoyed.

  “Because both are such passionate women. They didn’t start off well and now they’re fighting for dominance in their relationship.”

  Malcolm rolled his eyes. “You’ve been reading too many of those damn romance novels.”

  “We shall wait and see,” Jan said smugly. “And if I were you, my dear, I would give poor Fiona a suit of armour. She’s going to need one. Thank goodness she’s the one going with them. Anyone else would run a mile away. Now I’m off to bed. Make sure you forward me the rest of the emails when they come.”

  “Vic won’t quibble about more money. It’s a drop in the ocean to her.”

  Malcolm arrived Monday morning to find Victoria already waiting at his desk. She looked at him expectantly, so without a word he handed her a printout of Abby’s email. After she skimmed through it, she raised her eyes and his skin prickled. Giving a gulp, he forced himself to ask in a pleasant tone, “Are you happy with her te
rms, Vic?”

  “No, I’m not. I will draft a reply for you to send.”

  Half an hour later she swept into his office and tossed a piece of paper on the desk. “Send it immediately.”

  Malcolm read it with trepidation, groaned and typed the words. Four more emails shot back and forth until he decided enough was enough. He’d put in the shortfall himself. They would never agree—they’d be haggling over cents soon.

  When Victoria appeared five minutes later, he said, “She’s accepted the price.”

  Her mouth curved into a satisfied smile. “Good. Tell her to come in and sign the contract.”

  “I’ve emailed it to her. She wants to look at it first.”

  Victoria’s eyes narrowed. “She’d better not change one word.” She disappeared out the door.

  The chairman went back to his work and forced himself to concentrate. He ignored the urge to access his mail, but in the end, his curiosity won out. Malcolm jabbed the key of the mailbox. In spite of his determination to remain calm, emotion closed his throat.

  Dear Mr Hardy

  I have studied the document in detail and wish to make the following amendments:

  Page 2 – paragraph 4. The employee is to have time off at the discretion of her employer. I wish to delete at the discretion of her employer and replace it with in lieu of time owing.

  Page 3 – paragraph 2. The company will provide the cost of suitable clothing approved by her employer for social occasions. I wish to delete suitable and approved by her employer. I am confident I have the intelligence and flair to choose what I wear.

  Page 5 – paragraph 1. The employee promises to fulfil the length of her contract. Could you include the clause, unless irreconcilable circumstances require the termination of her agreement?

  Thank you for your consideration.

  Yours sincerely,

  Abby Benton

  The atmosphere in the office was tense. Silence swelled to fill all the spaces as Victoria raised her eyes from the page and Malcolm felt like a beast being led to the slaughterhouse. He could see by the set of her face that there would be no compromise. “Well?” he snapped.

  “No!”

  “I’d like to remind you she will be an employee of the board. She ultimately will answer to us, not you.”

  “I said no. Don’t even try pulling rank on me.”

  He looked at her beseechingly. “Come on, Vic. They’re only words. Surely you can agree to some of her terms.”

  Victoria spread her hands on the polished wood as if ready to eat him. “All right, I’ll agree to two and three but one stays. Make it quite clear I don’t intend to change my mind and tell her to sign it before five or the deal is off.”

  Malcolm felt himself floundering. “For heaven’s sake, it’s already two o’clock. If she argues, there’s no way it can be done by that time.”

  “Yes, I’m aware of that,” said Victoria with sly grin.

  Malcolm slammed the flat of his hand on his desk. The picture of his wife shot off with a crash. “I’ll take my time or you’ll have to find someone else to go with you.”

  “I won’t be going then,” she yelled back.

  With a shake of his head, he turned away from her with disgust and began punching the keys.

  Ten minutes later the reply came.

  Dear Mr Hardy,

  Thank the CEO for agreeing to two of my amendments. However, since number 2–paragraph 4 is the most important, I find I have to insist that Victoria reconsider. As for signing the contract by five o’clock, I have a date for drinks with a friend at 5 p.m., so I shall be there at half past four. Please have the document ready.

  Abby Benton

  As Malcolm studied Victoria while she read the email, his face betrayed his astonishment. She turned pale and her shoulders slumped in defeat.

  “Get the damn thing ready. She can have what she’s asking for,” she muttered. He stared as she left the room—why she’d conceded he had no idea.

  Chapter Six

  When Malcolm arrived home after work, Jan was in the living room and passed over a scotch without being asked. “Well, dear, out with it. What happened? I’m betting you need a drink.”

  He took the glass without a blink. “The whole business was horrendous. Vic was completely out of control and that damn Abby wasn’t any better. Come into my office and read the correspondence. It’ll explain the whole frustrating business better than I ever could.”

  As Jan scrolled through the emails, she let out periodic puffs of laugher. “Oh, isn’t it simply delicious.”

  His look was withering. “You’re choice of words astounds me.”

  “It’s far better than any of my romantic novels.”

  “More like a Stephen King horror,” Malcolm snapped.

  “Sooo—You’re putting in some money,” she said with a wink.

  “How did you guess?”

  “Oh, come on. They were on a roll. Vic wouldn’t have given in that easily.”

  “They were inching their way down. It would have gone on all day. Now it’s a stalemate. They both think they’ve won.”

  With a secret smile, Jan patted his hand. “You did very well, dear. Brilliant move.”

  “God, love, you should have seen Vic. I’ve never seen her so worked up over anything. She was downright scary. It was just as you said; she looked like a big Bengal tiger when she snarled. But all of a sudden she caved in after she read the last email. I thought the contract business would take the rest of the day. She’d given Abby the ultimatum to sign by five and then—whoosh—without any more argument, she backs down.”

  Jan’s mouth twitched. “Ah, our Ms Benton is a formidable opponent. She’s subtly informed Vic of another interested party, that she isn’t the only fish in the sea.”

  Malcolm glared at her. “Speak English. I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

  “She’s having drinks with Chantal, of course. The woman made it obvious at the dinner party that she liked Abby. Vic knew the contract had to be signed before Chantal could talk her out of it.”

  “Do you mean to tell me that girl has two of the most eligible women in the country chasing after her? She’s pleasant enough looking but not that special.”

  “Looks can be deceiving. She has an innocent quality about her that’s very appealing. And she’s extremely smart. Passionate and talented as well. Her emails show that. Both Vic and Chantal are used to women throwing themselves at them. I can see why Abby would pique their interest. She doesn’t fawn all over them.”

  “Well, Chantal’s missed out. Abby’s going with Vic. The contract’s been signed.”

  * * *

  Abby left the Orianis building with a few misgivings. Like it or not, she was committed. After her decision to accept the position, she invited Chantal to meet for drinks. To blurt out the news over the phone would insult the woman. Abby owed her the courtesy—she was fond of the Frenchwoman.

  Chantal waited inside the foyer of The Criterion, dressed in soft brown pants with a cream blouse which subtly showed the contours of her figure. The faint, tantalizing scent of exotic perfume shimmered over Abby in the Frenchwoman’s embrace. Wow, she’s even more gorgeous than I remember. “I’m glad you could come, Chantal. I’ve got something to tell you and I wanted to do it in person.”

  The older woman led her into the lounge bar. “Let me get us a drink first. I think I’m not going to like the news, no?”

  Abby shrugged weakly. “I’ll have a glass of chardonnay, thanks.”

  They were settled down with their drinks, Abby broached the subject. Face-to-face, the words were more difficult to say than she had imagined. She cared what the woman thought of her.

  “Um…Malcolm Hardy contacted me yesterday. Believe it or not, it seems Victoria has chosen me to go with her.”

  Chantal eyed her thoughtfully over the rim of her glass. “And have you accepted?”

  “Yes,” Abby said in a small voice.

  “Why?
You made it obvious you don’t like her.”

  “I…I can’t afford not to. It’s an opportunity to become financially secure. I’m supporting my mother as well as myself. Mum’s debilitated with rheumatoid arthritis and has to live on an invalid pension. The money is never enough for her to have a decent lifestyle, so I chip in part of my wage. I can’t work full-time because I need some hours for my painting, which makes it a constant struggle to make ends meet.”

  “But you are starting to take off with your art. Can’t you hang on a few more months until money comes in?”

  Frustrated, Abby ran her fingers through her hair. “If only. I’ve been going over and over the figures for the last twenty-four hours. When I start getting enough commissions, I’ll have to give up my job with Legal Aid. We won’t have anything to live on for at least a month. Victoria’s putting in another one hundred thousand, so it’ll set us up.”

  Chantal narrowed her eyes. “Oh, she is, is she? I could help you set up a bank loan to tide you over.”

  Abby felt overwhelmed by the gesture. “That’s very kind of you, Chantal. It’s nice to have your friendship, but this way is the best. Besides, I signed the contract the afternoon.”

  “There are ways to get out of a contract.”

  “I can’t break my word. I signed it in good faith and I couldn’t live with myself if I did that.”

  “Again I must apologise. It was stupid of me to think you would.” She leaned forward to take Abby’s hand. “It’s just desperation on my part. I’ve become fond of you and would like time to know you better.”

  “I want that too.”

  “But the clock has run out for me,” said Chantal, a disappointed edge in her words.

  “It’s only for six months. I’d like to see you again after I get back, if that’s okay with you,” said Abby shyly.

  “May I take you to dinner tonight?”